The great plan?
With Drogon commanded by Cambion to leave the Amphitheatre, in a daze he did his temporary masters bidding. With the last vampire spawn killed a silence hanged in the air. Arlo stared at the lifeless body of Red Jenny and plucked the handkerchief from her hand, reminded by her final words to him “Find the truth”. Ansem and Erebos started making plans for next steps, Leave Oxenburt to its fate, chase down Cambion or to raze Oxenburt to the ground. Erebos, convinced of retribution against Cambion and to stop the foul plans advised a chase. When suddenly a loud explosion of thunder echoed from outside. As Drogon was exiting the Amphitheatre he was blinded by the light of the midday sun, his thoughts and free will came back to him as he stepped through the threshold into the grand courtyard of the amphitheatre. Drogon spots a shadowy figure scouting his position before seeing it slip away across the rooftops. As he turns looking past the great fountain, he sees a humanoid figure, however instead of flesh, thousands of worms wrapped a form of humanoid skeleton, it stared deeply at Drogon before announcing “War, the first of four” and disappearing into thin air. Drogon confused, turned back towards the amphitheatre, as he turned, not five feet away the same figure now stood, outstretching its hand towards Drogon’s forehead in an attempt to see if it was corporeal he rose his hand hoping to latch onto the creatures arm, however phased through it as if it was smoke. However, as the creature placed its hand on Drogon’s forehead Drogon’s eyes rolled back and found himself in the great northern wastes. Knee deep in snow, with a blizzard formed around him he looks up to witness the sight of two mountains bending towards one another to form a large gate, in which a film of black and red energy flickered and waved like liquid with crackles of energy surging off it. The intensity of the surging energy slowly rising as a gigantic creature starts to breach the gate and as quickly as he was transported, Drogon returns back to the courtyard. Dusting of a small trace of snow from his arm turning back towards the fountain and witnesses an overly eager Genasi beckoning out to him. The Genasi, with fiery red hair and a regal red hue skin lubers towards Drogon, excited that’s finally found a friend of the Coliseum’s new champions. Drogon, provoked by the Genasi’s forward nature uses thunderwave to stop his advance. Erebos picking up Red Jenny rushes in pursuit of Ansem and Arlo who upon hearing the large noise goes to investigate. The Genasi, when seeing Erebos beams with delight and introduces himself as Salazar and pledges his sword to glory with Erebos. After deliberation on next moves, Ansem recalls Cambion’s words regarding prophecies, and machinations on a great calamity, realising now the threat that Cambion poses and remembering the hidden path that leads from the basement of the Amphitheatre to the Thornton mausoleum at the great cemetery on the western edge of the city, Ansem sprints off into the distance with the party trailing behind. Arlo and Cassius exhausted by the long fight and grieving at the loss of Red Jenny retire back to the inn. They reach the cemetery by early afternoon and witness the large hill which forms the cemetery grounds and atop the highest point lay the great mausoleums of the noble families the largest of which belongs to the Thornton bloodline. Ansem continues to sprint onwards with Drogon trailing behind. Erebos and Salazar pause to bury Red Jenny before continuing. As Ansem draws closer to the mausoleum he sees its great doors closed, but the sounds of a horse whinny captures his attention, seeing a young straggly man atop a black coach, their eyes meet and a cloaked figures boards with haste as a whip crack stirs the beasts and the coach disappears into the distance. Ansem enraged convinces the party to break into the mausoleum and search its catacombs. After triggering a few magical traps, the party find themselves in the lower crypt of the Thorton mausoleum, this is where Ansem previous fought two ghouls along side Prince Tamil in searching for an escape to the warren of sewer tunnels which wind their way underneath Oxenburt. Careful not to spring anymore traps Drogon surveys the room, discovering several seals placed on the caskets in which the bodies of Cambions ancestors still lay. However, Erebos miss stepping triggers a casket to open, toppling him over causing a domino effect of Wights to appear. Ansem, fighting bravely was stabbed clean through the chest by the first Wight. Draining his life essence Ansem’s body burst into flames causing large amounts of damage. He found himself in a limbo plane between the ethereal and material plane, waiting for him were the two bodies of Calcifer, the shadow form and light form. She offered him a chance to live again, but only if he were to kill Gambion Everspire, Calcifer’s father as revenge for him turning her into a demon to climb the ranks for an evil deity. Ansem declined and ran for the gate to the ethereal plane. Enraged Calcifer exploded in flame. The party continued to battle, shaken by Ansem’s disappearance in a burst of flame. It was not long till Drogon was also knocked out forcing a retreat from the Crypts. Salazar held a mighty defence allowing Erebos to escape carrying Drogon’s limp body. However, Erebos’s battle was hard and due to injuries sustained starts to lose vision in his remaining eye. As they exit the mausoleum, with Salazar trapping the remaining Wights in the crypt by dousing the exit in oil and igniting it the remnants of the party are whisked away to the citadel by the palace guard who inform that they have been sent by orders of the Prince, Uriel Theodoros and Lady Henrietta Morgrove. Erebos, the remaining party member who is conscious at the point who has met Lady Morgrove attended a meeting, learning that the Prince who despite propaganda from the southern provinces of Avencia was highly knowledgeable on the foul cults which had sprung up in Avencia and had proposed an offer. To kill the Baron of Duskcove for his betrayal. Deal with Cambion Thornton with enough evidence, and to assist in the hopeful siege of Riverford pending intelligence of its defences by the party. Erebos agreed. Uriel delighted by Erebos’ approval promised two palace guards to assist them as well as a companion which will meet them at the citadel in a day’s time.